Eagles placing rookie Cooper DeJean on NFI list, per report: What it means for CB battle

The Philadelphia Eagles are placing Cooper DeJean on the NFI list to begin training camp, first reported by ESPN. DeJean will be out for three weeks with a hamstring injury suffered during offseason training, which would set him for a targeted return date of the preseason joint practice with the New England Patriots on Aug. 13. 

DeJean, a second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, was expected to compete for one of the starting cornerback jobs after a strong minicamp. With the timetable for his recovery being three weeks, he’ll still be available for the back half of training camp. 

How is the Eagles CB battle affected? 

At outside cornerback, very minimal. DeJean was in the mix for that job, but the Eagles have plenty of candidates for that spot in James Bradberry, Kelee Ringo, Isaiah Rodgers and first-round pick Quinyon Mitchell. 

The battle for the starting slot cornerback will be affected. DeJean was a top candidate to start, competing with Avonte Maddox for the job. Tyler Hall will also be getting an extended look to win that job with DeJean out, so the next few weeks will be crucial for the player the Eagles signed in March. 

How does this affect DeJean’s development?

The Eagles wanted to see as much as they could out of DeJean in the early portion of camp prior to this injury. DeJean was getting reps at outside cornerback and in the slot during minicamp, while being on the field in certain subpackages. He also was getting some looks at safety too. 

DeJean starting Week 1 in the slot is probably out the window, but there is still time for him develop and earn the job later this year. The Eagles will be cautious in getting DeJean up to speed, as hamstring injuries can return if the player isn’t 100% recovered. 

This is a setback toward DeJean starting Week 1, but he’ll still play a major role in the secondary this season.